A number of push-button-operated switches are known with a movable contact carrier which can be moved with respect to a stationary contact carrier in order to bring contacts arranged on the contact carriers into conductive connection. The movable contact carrier may simply be biased by one or more return springs. Also, snap action devices may be provided in which, during a single opening process or during a single closing process, the energy for the switching process is, at first, stored and is then released in order to initiate and to support the movement of the movable contact carrier. These snap-action devices may be compression springs with a snap-action rocking device, leaf springs with a snap-action effect or disk or plate springs with a snap-action effect.
DE-OS 35 08 418 discloses a push-button switch in which a movable contact carrier, which is connected by an elastic pad to an actuated rod and is movable against two stationary contacts. These elements are arranged in a housing. The actuated rod is actuated to close the contact by a key extending over the housing.
The return spring is a resilient body which has substantially the configuration of a hollow cylinder and which is arranged between the housing and the key. In this case shifting or angular displacement of the elastic body can only, it at all, be avoided by complex and elaborate arrangements. Completely parallel movement of the contact surfaces cannot be insured.
DE-OS 32 12 937 describes a push-button switch having a contact carrier with a contact having the form of an annular disk concentric to an actuator rod. When the push-button switch is actuated, the actuator rod is rotated about its axis by a turning and switching device. There are no provisions to safely avoid moving out of line of the actuated rod and to provide for safe contact.
DE-AS 22 47 905 discloses a push-button switch having a stationary contact carrier with an annular contact. The movable contacts are provided on contact plates which are, in turn, moved by simple cylindrical actuating pins in a way that moving out of line is not avoided and safe contact is not insured.
When these switches are used for opening or closing two or more circuits, it is often desirable or even necessary that all circuits are definitely opened or closed at the same moment, even if the actuated push button is not operated carefully and is not pushed exactly centrally. Such a careful operation normally cannot be insured. This is particularly true in situations where a plurality of switches are to be operated consecutively within a short period of time, even more, when the operator has to use more than one finger to operate several switches at once or during a short period of time, and even more when switches and operator are in a vehicle which is subject to accelerations or vibrations as may be the case in an aircraft. In such applications, however, deficiencies in contact making may have extremely serious effects.